Fear and Loathing
by Illusive.Night
Summary: When darkness reigns over mankind, who can we truly trust? When both sides lead to death and destruction, who can we turn to for salvation? Humanity, there is none...in this game of War. OCx?
1. Prologue

**{prologue}**

Destruction was all that could be seen for miles; a city that once stood so tall and beautiful, now lay in ruins as fires burned, and the screams of citizens began to slowly fade. Just like their lives.

"_This was the outcome of war." _

Innocent lives were taken as they were thoughtlessly thrown into the battle between two enemies, for there were no safe havens or zones that remained off limits. In the heat of rage, the safety of simple civilians wasn't as important as destroying each other.

"_No, war was never a pretty thing."_

Casualties were expected, death was going to occur. Both sides would lose players, but it was just a vicious cycle that would continue on until the other was destroyed completely. The Earl looked to destroy the Heart of Innocence and take control, the Exorcists looked to destroy The Earl.

"_Neither one of them wanted to be destroyed."_

"G-Gabriel..."

The battles raged on, each opponent holding their own, though, it was obvious who had the upper-hand. This was just another pointless war. They were all going to die, then the Noah would just be reborn and more exorcists would appear.

"_It was never going to end."_

"Gabriel..."

One battle was over: the victor kneeling and trying to catch their breath as the loser lay in a mangled heap on the ground. Both were alive, and both had their fair share of wounds – but it was painfully obvious as to which one was going to walk away.

"_I was too weak..." _

Golden eyes tried to focus as they searched for someone in particular. She couldn't see him, but she knew he was close. He had his own battle to fight, and no matter how badly he wanted to be next to her, he had to finish what was already started.

"_Just hold on, love." _

The exorcist made to stand, a painful grunt falling from his lips. She had managed to crack his innocence enough to make it almost unusable - a win in its' own right – but, he had enough will to create some form of power from what was once a bow and arrow duo.

"Who do you keep calling to, Noah?" The exorcist looked to his enemy, no sign of hatred or remorse.

Gold eyes focused on the one who had defeated her as she strained to find her voice, fully intent on changing the subject, "Why have you not finished me off, boy?" She glanced behind him as a small grin appeared. "It just may have been the end of you."

"I was getting to that," he began to nock his arrow, but before he had the chance to pull back the string, a hand found its way inside his chest and ripped out his heart in a matter of seconds. The exorcist's body slumped to the ground and the man behind him stepped on the innocence, successfully destroying it.

"Gabe-"

"-Shh, shh, try not to strain yourself, love." The Noah fell to his knees as he gently cradled the woman in his arms, his golden eyes scanning every wound. "You'll be alright."

A sad smile appeared on her lips as she looked up at the man before her lovingly. Taking his hand in her own, she brought it to her lips, then rested it gently on top of her torso. "I'm afraid our time together is coming to an end,"

"No-" She silenced him by putting her hand over his lips.

"Dear, this is not goodbye. Our bond is strong, we will meet again. We won't be in these bodies, but we'll know...we will be reunited and happy once more." A grimace came to her face as a wave of pain washed over her entire body, which only caused him to hold her tighter and bury is head in her hair. "I love you, more than words can describe. Promise you will find me in the next life, promise me we will be together again."

He gave her a sorrowful glance, and nodded his head. "I promise. No, I swear it." He kissed her lips, a sweet and tragic goodbye.

"Until we meet again," Her eyes closed permanently, as her body turned to ash and blew away with the breeze.

All that could be heard was an anguished cry.

"_This was war." _


	2. Fateless or Greatness

_**A/N:** _Hello and welcome to Fear and Loathing, my new and improved -Man story! My last attempt was created and posted within an hour without much thought process behind it...I don't know what I was thinking. This story has a basic plot behind it, though I don't have the whole idea just yet. I was actually hoping certain parts would just come to me while I explore the characters and their relationships. Heh.

I'm going to be taking this into my own hands and creating my own little twists and turns, but also keeping it pretty intact with the actual manga/anime plot...so don't shoot me, DGM faithful! I will be trying my best to keep characters in...well...character, but if I stray too far from that path feel free to let me know.

I should also note that I don't know the exact time period DGM is set in, only that it is sometime in the late 19th century (1800's), so I'm just going to assume it is sometime after Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland came out for the sake of the story.

~Happy readings.

**Disclaimer:** Everything belongs to their rightful owners. I'm just a writer with her own ideas.

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"_I lived a lot of different lives, been different people many times. I lived my life in bitterness, I filled my heart with emptiness."- Marina and the Diamonds (Fear and Loathing)_

**{Chapter 1} **

The sounds of laughter and barking filled the warm summer air as the sun began it's descent, the people around town setting off firecrackers and other noisemakers to celebrate their day of independence. Throughout the day there had been parades, booths, and other fun things to do while the citizens of Pennsylvania waited for the evening firework display, the perfect ending to a perfect holiday.

A small blonde girl and her brother ran around with the other children, their black and white shepherd chasing after them. The girl looked to be 10, her brother only a couple years older. The Bennett children – what they were commonly referred to as around town – were practically inseparable, and always with their dog, Pal.

It was not uncommon to see Lewis chasing and saving his younger sister, Alice from the trouble she managed to cause. They were polar opposites, really. He was calm and collected, taking his time to think things through; she was loud and abrasive, opting to rush into something without so much as a second thought. He was her protector, she was his nuisance.

Yet they fit together like peanut butter and jelly.

Their parents, Elise and Jack, could not be more proud to see how their beautiful children were growing – though an unspoken clench and worry would always tug at their hearts. There was one path they did not want their offspring to follow, and while there hadn't been much evidence suggesting it possible on Lewis' part, Alice's abnormal behaviors always left dark thoughts in the back of their minds.

Elise had once been an Exorcist, fending off Akuma and protecting the world from the evil that was Noah. It was only when she met and married Jack, that she had decided to give up fighting evil and instead settle down and start a family. She – no they both – had hoped for a normal life, to watch their children grow up, go to school, get married, and have children of their own. All without ever telling them about their mother's past, and the evil that plagued the world.

Truly wishful thinking on their part.

In fact, they believed it to be true as everything had been normal up until Alice turned 6. It was then that everything began to change; she would begin to say strange things that no child her age should ever know about, yet, she would never remember saying them after the fact.

"_Be careful, I don't want you getting hurt!" _

_Alice looked up at her mother, a serious expression on her face as her eyes held a strange look. "I'm not scared...I've died before, you know." _

"_What?" Elise practically screamed, dropping the broom she had been previously holding. _

_A small smile played on the child's lips. "I'll just be born again." _

_The girl laughed before skipping off toward the creek, her bouncy and bubbly personality returning once again. Later that evening when questioned about her alarming response, Alice could only muster a confused look._

Soon after that she began to mention someone by the name of 'Gabriel', which they had assumed to be an imaginary friend. After a time though, they began to worry.

"_Why do you always talk about Gabriel?" _

"_I loved him." _

"_Loved? Not love?" _

"_He died a long time ago, after me. He promised to find me though...I can love him again when he returns."_

Initially, Elise had been distraught, but over time the odd happenings became less frequent and she had assumed it to only be a strange phase. Lewis on the other hand, was a perfectly normal little boy. Never once did he mention anything strange or talk about a life he had never lived. which had come as both a relief and disturbance for the couple. While they knew it wasn't some strange phenomenon happening in their little family, they also worried for the future of their only little girl.

When the children started grade school, Alice's strange behavior seemed to stop entirely, and they were truly grateful. After that, no other strange occurrences seemed to happen, and finally the small family could finally live in peace.

It didn't stay calm for long, though.

Alice was 9 when she had woken up abruptly one morning and insisted her mother take her to the shops downtown, saying there were a deck of cards featuring the characters from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland; a book that had been her mother's favorite – if it hadn't been painfully obvious by her children's names – and now hers, and she just _had_ to have them. While Elise kept insisting it was just a dream and that they wouldn't be there, she eventually gave up and took her daughter to prove her point.

What she didn't expect was for the deck of cards to be sitting in the back of the bookstore, practically hidden from view. Her heart about stopped when her daughter was able to pinpoint the exact location of the item within seconds, and with it, a small sense of dread became evident.

"_The user doesn't choose the innocence, the innocence chooses the user." _

That had been over a year ago though, and nothing out of the ordinary had happened with the cards since. There could still be a light at the end of the tunnel. Even so, on a day full of celebration and joy, Elise couldn't help but to worry as a small gut feeling made itself known.

.XxX.

Alice, Lewis, and Pal all sat on the grassy hill overlooking the town, snacking on the many treats they had saved throughout the day. The sun was almost completely set, and the night sky had begun to spring out the millions of stars that would shine ever brightly. It wouldn't be long until the firework display would begin, and Alice could barely contain her excitement.

"Oh, I hope they have a wonderful amount this year - I could sit and watch them all night!"

Lewis, while stuffing his face full of candy, could only nod his head vigorously as he was unable to fully speak.

She tossed the dog a few bits of food, before following her brother's example and stuffing her face full delicious sweets. They could hear the muffled voice from the megaphones announcing the beginning of the firework display, and they eagerly looked to the sky in awe as many colorful lights exploded against the black canvas.

'Oohs' and 'awes' left their lips as the lights reflected off their faces, entranced completely by the art in the sky. They had chosen the perfect spot to sit and watch, as they got a clear view of everything without the annoying townsfolk bumping into them or talking too loudly. Yes, it had been a good choice indeed.

The fireworks continued on for a few minutes, one after another, until they suddenly ended.

The siblings looked to each other and pouted deeply, their hopes for a better finale crushed by the abrupt ending to the light show.

"How disappointing!" Lewis grumbled loudly, before stopping to stare at the town center below them. Explosions were heard as the sight of the city turned to chaos.

Then the screams followed.

Wide eyes looked to his sister, then back to the town as his heart began to race. There was definitely something wrong, and he wanted to know what. His parents were also still down there, but would it really be smart to run right for whatever danger awaited? He bit his lip deeply, trying to think through all the different scenarios, only to come up with nothing that could potentially help him.

"What's going on?" Alice screamed at her brother, before hopping to her feet and making to run down the hill.

"Stay here!" Jumping to his feet just as quickly, he pulled his sister back onto the ground roughly and gave her a glare. "Don't be an idiot!"

"Mom and Dad-"

"I KNOW! I know..." He looked to the city, his brows furrowed in concern. "I'm gonna check it out,"

"I'm coming with you-"

"-No! You stay right here where it's safe, and keep Pal with you! I'm going to find Mom and Dad!" His voice shook with fear, but he knew he had to do it. Alice would be safe here, and he would be back with their parents in no time.

The girl stood and gripped onto Pal's collar while giving her brother with a stern expression. "You better come back, Lewis." Her voice began to quiver as she tried to suppress the tears that were forming. "Y-You better come back with Mom and Dad...or I'll beat you u-up." She hiccuped.

"Come on now," He gave her a soft look as he ruffled her golden locks. "The Alice I know wouldn't be crying at a time like this. She'd be strong and mouthy, while trying to kick butt!" He let out a short laugh. "I'll be back, I promise."

He turned and ran down the hill without a second glance, and Alice had to restrain Pal, as well as herself, from running after him. Her heart felt like it was being crushed as she watched his form grow smaller and smaller, a strange foreshadowing if you will. He was going to come back though.

He was going to keep his promise.

She gripped tightly to the dog's collar, her blue eyes staring worriedly at the scene before her. The city she had been born and raised in was now crumbling to the ground before her very eyes. The people she had grown to love and cherish were screaming for help, or possibly dead. Everything that had taken years to form, had managed to fall apart in a matter of minutes.

And she was frustrated by the fact that she could do nothing but watch from the safety of the hill.

_Fire and destruction was all around her; this would be the only outcome of war, along with the deaths of many. This was the only thing humanity was capable of._

"_Die, Noah!"_

_A dark laugh escaped her lips, bringing a chill to the wounded exorcist. "Do you really think killing me will save your precious cause?" She stepped on his head, a morbid smile lifting her lips. "Humanity was not built to last. Humans will always find ways to destroy each other...themselves." She let up the pressure from her foot as she gave the city a thoughtful expression._

"_We're just speeding up the process." a loud and grotesque crunch was heard as she reapplied pressure at full force, then stepped away from the mess she had created. "The world was never yours to save."_

Alice gripped her head as she fell onto the ground in pain, the images of people and places she had never seen before flashed through her mind like moving pictures. "Wha- What is this?"

Pal whined loudly while nuzzling her hand and she instantly latched onto him while sobbing. "Why, why is all of this happening, Pal? I just want to go home with Mama and Poppa and Lewis, and fall asleep in my warm bed, then wake up to a wonderful breakfast!" She continued to cry into his fur, hugging him even tighter. "Don't you run off too! I don't want to be alone!" She wailed loudly, her eyes pouring down tears.

The girl never cried unless necessary, always holding up her tough exterior around others. She was strong, and wouldn't let a few bumps and bruises bring her down, yet here she was bawling like a little baby over something she couldn't possibly know the outcome to. Everything could end up okay, and this could all be some strange misunderstanding.

Somehow, she knew that wasn't the case.

It's funny what one will think about in times of distress and despair. All the little things seem to mean a lot more as soon as they're taken away, and they definitely become more appreciated. Conversations, school, meals, they all pulled at her heart strings.

Her head remained buried in the dog's fur, refusing to look at the chaos that was destroying her city. Her home. By now, she had ceased her crying, instead resorting to sniffling and drying her eyes. 'Everything's gonna be okay' was the only mantra replaying in her head.

The sudden laughter of something, or someone, sinister caught her by surprise as Pal gave a warning growl to the intruder. Gasping, Alice released Pal and turned sharply to look at the culprit, ready to give them an earful, but stopped abruptly upon seeing them. Her eyes widened, and her mouth gaped open as she couldn't take her eyes off of the creatures (yes, there was more than one) before her.

Three very large and very ugly...monsters -for lack of a better word- hovered above the ground, malicious smiles on their hideous faces, and large gun-like objects protruding from their bodies.

"Looky here, it seems we've found another one!" One of them jeered.

"And she has a pet!" Laughed another.

The sounds of guns being locked caught her attention, and her pupils dilated as her eyes widened even further. They had aimed their guns at her and Pal, who was now standing in front of her with a ferocious snarl, and from the looks on their evil faces, they were preparing to shoot.

She was going to be shot.

She was going to die.

Her body and mind had gone into shock, and she couldn't move or speak. She was going to sit there and allow these creatures to just kill her and her companion off without a fight. Lewis wasn't going to be able to keep his promise, as she wouldn't be here to see him and their parents return to safety.

_Promise. _

Something clicked within her mind as she looked down at the odd green glow emitting from her side dress pocket. Digging into it, she removed the thick stack of cards - the same cards she had dreamed about, and constantly kept with her – and simply stared as they continued to glow.

"_**Cards don't glow green..."** _

"W-What! She has innocence!" One of the creatures screeched.

"Kill her and take it! The Lord will be so pleased!" Another laughed.

The sounds of bullets leaving the monsters caused her to drop the cards with a scream and hold onto Pal with closed eyes. After a few seconds of not feeling any pain, she slowly opened them and looked up in awe at the now giant card sitting in front of them, acting as a shield.

"What?" The creature yelled in confusion.

The card shrank back to size as Alice looked at the deck of cards sitting neatly in a pile close to her feet. "What...just happened?" She made to reach for them, before the laughter of the monsters caused her to look up at them instead.

"Cute trick...now die!" All three of them locked and loaded their guns and once again aimed for the girl and her dog.

"No!" Alice flung her arm out as she turned her head and once again closed her eyes, only this time the sounds of screaming and three loud explosions came from the demons, and she once again turned to look back at what had transpired.

They were gone.

The girl blinked in confusion as she clutched onto Pal's collar, her knuckles turning white from the pressure. Three cards from her deck floated gracefully back into the pile, and she could do nothing but stare at them.

Seconds, minutes, hours, days, the concept of time left her as she continued to watch and wait for the cards before her to do _**something** __**else**__. _After a time, Pal had resorted to whining and trying to pull out of her grip as a means to get her attention, but nothing could seem to penetrate her concentration.

"Innocence... That's what they said." She murmured quietly to herself.

"Yes, what you have, is called innocence."

A shocked gasp left the girl's lips as she whirled around and looked to the person who had just spoken, her guard raised. Pal once again made to stand in front of her while growling, but something in Alice told her that this woman wasn't a bad person. She pulled her dog back, and quickly silenced his growling.

"Who are you?" She questioned defensively.

"Klaud Nine."


	3. Follow Me

**A/N: **Phew, I'm on a roll with writing these chapters! There's just so much muse rolling around in my brain, I can barely contain it! Of course that will probably change here soon. I apologize for the very sporadic first chapter...I wanted to throw some history in there and didn't really know how else to do it, hopefully this chapter will be more organized.

I'll add a bit of an overview of Alice's innocence here, to make things a bit easier. I'm considering it a parasitic-type, though, I could be completely wrong in assuming this. If so, please let me know! I sat and tried to figure it out for hours, and seeing Klaud's innocence kind of helped me to guess.

Alice's innocence is her cards, though unlike a weapon-type innocence, she basically controls them via her mind. Whatever she wants them to do, they do, even subconsciously. I would assume the innocence to be located somewhere within her brain, but the cards are the physical connection and weapon to defeat the Akuma. Hence, being able to control them by just thinking (Also why she had "dreamed" about them). They are more offensive based, rather than defensive at this point, simply because the synchronization rate isn't too strong yet, and it takes far too much concentration to defend and attack all at the same time. It's either one or the other, never both. And just like other parasitic-types, she has to eat a lot to keep up her strength, and grows tired the longer she uses her innocence; normally she has to sleep after a battle to recover her mind, otherwise she can't think straight and gets some pretty horrible migraines.

Of course, things will all change the stronger the synchro-rate becomes, and I'm super excited to write about it...But that's a bit further into the story. ;)

There isn't much information on Klaud's team, except their names, so I've just made up what I think they would look and act like, as well as their innocences! Imagination, huzzah! Annnnnnddddd finally, this is just another background chapter, so no Black Order yet! That will be next chapter. (:

~Happy readings.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing!

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"_I have my Mother's dreams, I have my Father's eyes, you can't take that from me, just go ahead and try." Rise Against (Help is On the Way)_

**{Chapter 2}**

Two years had passed since that fateful evening, and Alice, now 12, had been taken under the wing of General Klaud Nine. The woman had been close to her mother, Elise, and so the girl looked to her as a sort of aunt figure. After all, she had plenty of stories to tell about her late parents.

In the end, Lewis hadn't been able to keep his promise as neither he or their parents ever returned from the horrible destruction the Akuma had created. Alice had been left alone, and Pal was now the only link she had left of her past life. A life that had been flipped upside down in a matter of hours.

At least she had Klaud and Lau Jimin to call family now though, and eventually, the Black Order would become her new home.

A new family, a new home; a new chapter of her life was starting.

Until then though, she was to continue traveling and training with the blond General until she felt that her student was sufficient enough to be of use to the Order. Only then, would she be able to call herself a true exorcist, a rank she was restless to acquire.

It was as calling to her.

"Alice!"

...Or maybe it was someone else calling to her.

An intense pain fell over her skull as she instantly clutched her throbbing head and glared at the culprit. "What was that for?"

"Stop zoning out, Airhead, this isn't the time to daydream!" The older girl snarled.

"We're sitting on a carriage at least ten miles from town! What would you like me to do – watch the cows?"

Tina grabbed Alice's cheeks and began to pull on them. "Don't back sass me, respect your elders!"

Pulling her face away, she glared. "Sorry..." A cheeky grin. "...Old lady."

Fire practically burned from the older girl's eyes as she tried to attack the youngster, only to be held back by her two teammates: Gwen Flail, and Sol Galen.

Alice threw herself as far away as she could, while pointing at the enraged Tina. "You're psycho!" She exclaimed.

"I'LL SHOW YOU PSYCHO YOU LITTLE SHIT!"

"Oi, knock it off!" Sol, beginning to grow annoyed by the two's constant bickering, was about ready to knock them out himself.

Klaud held her head in her hand as she shook it back and forth, trying to ignore the yelling and barking of Alice's dog. "Please, stop it." She lifted her head and gave Tina a sharp look, then turned her attention to Alice. "Why do you insist on instigating?" She said with a sigh.

"She didn't need to hit me..." The girl pouted, turning to look at the passing scenery.

After Klaud had taken Alice from her destroyed home, she added the young girl to her team, feeling that it would help her teamwork skills, and teach her how to control her innocence by helping the older exorcists in battles. While she seemed to get along well enough with the two calmer ones of the bunch, her and Tina's abrasive personalities would clash quite often, leaving the others to deal with the near chaos they would cause.

Tina Spark was the oldest member at 21, and the "captain" of team Nine. She was hard to miss with her wild, fire red locks and rust colored eyes; her loud and obnoxious behavior as untamed as her hair. Like her General, Tina wore tight white pants with black boots that reached just shy of her calves, the tops wide and loose, while a silver buckle over top the laces kept her feet snug inside. A black corset top that exposed her midriff was covered only slightly by her exorcist jacket which reached slightly passed her back side. Black gloves (that helped keep her unburned during battle) covered her hands, and her innocence – a large electrical rod that was kept small when not activated – was attached to the strap around her right thigh.

Sol Galen was the second oldest at 20, and brotherly figure of the group. Dark brown hair hung long in the front, reaching slightly past his chin, while the back remained cut short and wispy. Bright blue eyes contrasted nicely against his dark hair, and his handsome face just added more to be loved. He was definitely the heart throb. Slightly baggy black pants covered his silver-toed boots, while silver chains looped around his waist and through his belt loops, two small scythe-shaped daggers hung at each end. A tight navy shirt covered his torso, while he left his long trench-coat like exorcist jacket open, and the sleeves rolled to his elbows.

Gwen Flail was the youngest – well, before Alice – at the age of 17, as well as the most quiet and timid of the three. Her long brown hair was kept in two braids over her shoulders, and her chestnut eyes were covered by big round glasses. Gwen wore her exorcist jacket closed, unlike the other two, and it rested snugly around her hips. A black pleated skirt reached right above her knees, and her black heeled boots stopped just before them. On her wrists sat two brightly colored bracelets, one yellow, the other pink; when activated, they would become long sound hoses that could cause some serious damage.

Then there was Alice, the newbie and baby of the group – though her loud mouth and bratty nature would classify her as otherwise – along with her precious pet, Pal. She had refused to leave him, stating, and I quote, "If Pal doesn't go, neither do I!"

...Which resulted in her getting her way...Though I digress.

Her long blonde hair was left down with only a simple blue headband to accessorize it with; her big blue eyes gave off a sign of child-like innocence, even though anyone who knew her would say otherwise. As she wasn't an exorcist yet, she had to wear regular civilian clothes, which consisted of a blue and white striped dress that reached her knees, the hems lined with white frills. Black stockings covered her legs, while white Mary Janes accented the dark color.

She was the picture perfect Alice.

Team Nine was definitely the oddest bunch around, but when it came down to it, their teamwork was impeccable and Klaud could have not been more proud. And although Alice was still a child, she knew the girl was only going to get better, and hopefully, less independent as she got older.

"Welp, here ya'll are. I'm goin' down the opposite path, but the town ain' far from here. Jus' gotta keep walkin' down ther'." The man who had given them a ride from the previous town, pointed down a lone dirt road.

"Thank you for everything Mr. Clay, we really appreciate it... and sorry for having to listen to my two students argue." Klaud nodded to the man with a small apologetic smile, then took her place at the front of the group, preparing to lead them to their next destination.

The older man hesitated for a few moments as he watched them walk toward the city, his eyes worriedly following the little girl and dog. "Ya'll sure you want to go that way? I mean, it's pretty dangerous."

The General stopped and turned to look back at Mr. Clay. "That's the reason we're going there. No need to worry, we will all be just fine." Her voice held understanding, though she stood firm with her words.

They were going to be fine. She would make sure of it.

The group gave him one final look before turning and marching toward the town, all of them itching for a good fight.

XxX

Hillcrest, as the worn and broken sign outside the city limits stated, looked like an abandoned ghost town. The streets were oddly quiet, and there was an ominous feeling in the air that gave Alice the chills. If it wasn't for the eyes staring out the dirty windows, or the doors slamming and locking as the group passed by, she would have assumed it to be completely vacant.

Subconsciously, she gripped onto Pal's collar and pushed closer to Sol, who only gave her a quick glance and a pat on the head before turning his attention back to the surrounding buildings.

"Be on guard everyone." Klaud's voice echoed from ahead as the group visibly tensed.

"Such a warm welcome for the people who are going to save this place." Tina scoffed while kicking a stray rock, slightly perturbed by the echoing silence around the small town.

"There should be an Inn not too far from here," Klaud glanced back at the group. "We stick together until we find it."

Gwen fidgeted with the hem of her jacket as she worriedly looked around. "I have a bad feeling about this, guys..."

"Me too. It's far too quiet, we could very well be walking into a trap." Sol responded solemnly.

The sound of a rubber ball bouncing quickly caught their attention and they instantly clutched onto their respective weapons, each looking for the source of the noise. Louder and louder, the sound increased as time ticked by achingly slow and adrenaline pumped through their veins. It was then that the bouncing silhouette of the aforementioned ball caught the attention of the group who simply watched it roll out from a side street and stop in front of them.

"What-" Tina's surprised voice was quickly cut off by the sound of a child's laughter.

Appearing from the same street, a small boy with dark hair and big green eyes looked to the group before happily skipping over to his red ball and picking it up with enthusiasm. He then began to bounce the ball while staring at the exorcists. "Not many strangers come here," His child-like voice held laughter. "Well, not many last as long as you."

A malicious and inhuman grin came to his face. "Exorcists."

Laughter echoed around the entire vicinity, as everyone quickly backed close to each other in a small huddle and looked around. "We're surrounded!" Called Gwen, already tugging on and activating her innocence.

"Alice, you stay with Sol!" Klaud called back to the two before initiating her attack.

Dozens of Level 1 Akuma appeared from the sky and buildings as they took no time in beginning their assault of Team Nine.

"Let's get this party started!" Yelled Tina, activating her innocence as electricity sparked from her hands and through the metal rod.

Each member took to their own battles, attacking and dodging to the best of their abilities. Tina and Gwen ran in opposite directions, leading the hoards of Akuma to different parts of the town. Klaud had long since disappeared, but Lau Jimin could still be seen jumping around behind different buildings.

"Alice, you defend while I attack! Got it?"

Nodding her head, the girl pulled the growling dog and stood close to Sol, who had already activated his innocence – two large scythes attached to either side of a long chain – and was swinging it around while knocking into and destroying the Akuma unlucky enough to be in its path.

As the Akuma tried to shoot them from the sides, Alice's cards would grow into large barriers that protected the three from harm. The bullets seemed endless, and her small body was beginning to grow tired at the constant barrage hitting her innocence. She was still only a child after all.

Gritting her teeth in annoyance, she realized that defending wasn't going to help destroy the pests any quicker, and with a split-second decision, decided to attack instead. Letting go of Pal's collar, she pushed her hands out and with them came a handful of cards that shot in the direction of Akuma, slicing into their bodies and effectively destroying them.

"What're you doing? I said defend!" Sol yelled at the girl before turning back to the oncoming monsters.

"They'll be gone quicker if we both attack!" She called back.

Seeing more bullets heading straight for them, Alice once again went on the defense and threw the cards in front of them, successfully blocking the bullets before beginning her attack again.

"Ugh- Fine, whatever! Just don't die, kid."

XxX

Dropping to the ground with loud pants, Alice couldn't believe the amount of time it took both of them to take out _all_ the Akuma; her energy levels were almost completely depleted, and she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Hey," Sol was leaned over, his hands on his knees, as he too breathed heavily from the intense battle. "You alright?" His blue eyes stared worriedly at the small girl on the ground.

Her body and mind felt like they were on fire, and she could barely comprehend the older boy, so instead she took to nodding at his question while Pal nuzzled her hair.

"Shit," He cursed under his breath while kneeling next to her.

"I'm...al...right..."

"No you aren't dumby. I told you not to attack, and now you've used too much energy." Came his soft reply as he ruffled her golden locks. Gently, he pulled her onto his back and grabbed onto her legs as he slowly stood up. "Right, now we've gotta find the others. Come on, Pal."

The young man began to walk in the direction he saw the General fighting, hoping to find her quickly. Alice had never been in a battle such as that, and if she hadn't gone on the offensive, he wasn't too sure he could have defeated them on his own. "Thanks."

"Hmm?" Came the mumbled reply.

"Back there. For not listening to me, and helping." He chuckled lightly.

She too let out a soft, but tired, laugh. "Guess I shouldn't listen to you more often."

"Now, let's not get carried away. I'm still your elder!"

"Well, old man-"

"HEY!"

"Sol! Alice!" Tina's voice caught Sol's attention as he happily jogged over to the rest of the group. "Hey...is she okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, 'm jus' tired s'all." Came the sleepy reply.

"She really saved my ass back there," He turned to Klaud. "Ya know, I think it's about time she got her very own exorcist jacket."

A small smile graced the General's lips. "Yes, I think you're right."

They all expected Alice to pop up with some sort of excited comment, but when they were met with only silence, they are turned to look at the now-sleeping girl on Sol's back. Laughter echoed throughout the group as the citizens of the town slowly began to emerge from their homes with curiosity.

The sun poked through the departing clouds; the light was upon them once again.


	4. History Keeps Pulling

_**A/N: **_Hello lovely readers!

Finally we get to see the HQ, and some of our loveable (and not so loveable) characters! I'm not too sure when exactly Tyki became a Noah...so I'm just going to say early 20's ._.'

Also, you'll be seeing a lot of Marina and the Diamonds and Florence + the Machine lyrics at the beginning of each chapter, simply because I love their music, and the lyrics describe Alice's character quite well. Normally the lyrics I use will somehow relate to her and/or the story.

A beta-reader would still be awesome to have, if anyone is willing to volunteer! ...If anyone even really reads this story... . Eh, oh well.

~Happy Readings!

* * *

"_I don't want your future, I don't need your past, one bright moment is all I ask. I'm gonna leave my body, gonna lose my mind." Florence + the Machine (Leave My Body)_

**{Chapter 3}**

_It came down softly at first, much like the tears of a small child, before it picked up and began the full downpour. The muggy feeling clung to the air, while the fresh scent increased with each passing second. Blue eyes watched the falling droplets from the safety of a porch, though her body twitched with the anticipation of wanting to stand under the purifying rain. _

_But she had promised Gabriel she would no longer do that. He didn't want her getting sick. _

_A frown. Rain couldn't possibly hurt her, when it held such a calming disposition. Rain hydrated the earth; replenished its life. It was lightning that would hurt her, just like it hurt the planet. It brought fires...destruction. _

_There wasn't lightning, though. It was just...rain. _

_One step. Another. She could feel the droplets begin to hit her feet as a chill ran up her spine. _

"_Cecille." _

_Like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar, she stopped her movements abruptly, then turned guiltily towards the one who had called her name. He gave her a disapproving glance, then stepped toward her unmoving form. "You promised." _

_A small pout formed on her lips as she latched onto his waist and cuddled into his chest. "I know," Came her meek reply. "But, it's so beautiful." _

_The man gave a soft hum as he coddled her petite form."How can you find beauty in such simplistic things?"_

"_...It's my humanity, I suppose." _

Memories were a horrible thing. At least to Tyki Mikk. They brought back emotions he wished to never know, and a strange tug at his heart he wished to never feel. His life had been that of a normal young man before the Noah appeared, then upon awakening, an influx of things he couldn't comprehend overrode his entire being. This was not what he wanted to be, but it was what he had become.

Joido, the Noah of Pleasure.

Pleasure? For who? He certainly felt no pleasure in what he was destined to do, to kill. No, it was more painful than pleasurable, but he knew it was still early on in the transformation. Everything would be different as time went on. It's funny how people change.

No, the thing that perturbed him the most was that insistent tug on his heart whenever he would see something that would spark a memory involving _her._ In his past life – every life – they had been lovers. Fate, destiny, inevitable was more like it, they were going to end up together again.

And it frustrated him to no end.

Love was such a fickle thing, or at least, it had been. He had always figured he'd find a girl the old fashioned way: mingling, flirting, dating. Now, he knew there would only be _her. _It was as if that simple thought was tattooed into both his brain and heart. He couldn't look, think about, or grow attached to other women without thinking about _her_; she was always in the back of his mind.

It would always be _her_.

Sometimes he wondered if she thought about him as much as he thought about her. Was she searching just as hard? She was around, he knew. He could feel her, as faint as the connection was, and with each random burst, he knew she was trying to awaken fully as well. Perhaps he had overlooked her hundreds of times in the crowds for that very reason.

She was still locked away.

A puff of smoke escaped his lips as he watched the rain fall outside his balcony window. "Screw you, Fate."

.XxX.

The rain hit their umbrellas with soft pats as Alice, Pal, and Klaud all stood outside the large gate of the Black Order. Being the impatient girl that she was, her frustration was beginning to grow tenfold at the slow responses from those inside the building, and she was about ready to break down the door herself. "I swear to-"

"LET THE SCANNING BEGIN!" The door suddenly boomed, causing her to squeal and jump back in fright.

A yellow ray of light emitting from its eyes encompassed her as he began his search for anything leading him to believe she was one of the Earl's. After a few seconds of scanning, he found her to be suitable enough to allow entrance, then opened the gates to the two. "Welcome!"

Heaving a sigh, she picked up her suitcase and followed Klaud to... wherever it was that they were going. The journey had been a long one, and the girl was tired, hungry, and very irritable at this point – though being inside the Black Order was exciting enough to push back those thoughts for just a bit. It was a lot different than anything she had ever seen, and she couldn't help but to gawk at the interior of the building.

They passed by many different finders, all of whom gave their greetings to Klaud, but only glanced at her while mumbling something about 'another little brat.' She would have been upset, had a cruel and malicious thought not kept her anger at bay. _"They're most likely going to die on their next mission anyway. I'm the one with the innocence." _It was a bit disturbing to hear herself think that, but she just chalked it up to being extremely tired and irritable.

"Hello again, General!" Came an overly excited voice that gave Alice a headache. "And you must be Alice, our new member! It's so nice to meet you! Ohhhh, and look at how cute you are, my dear Lenalee will have a new friend to play with and gossip about boys with..." Her eyebrow twitched in anger as he continued to blab on about some girl named Lenalee, and she was about ready to punch him square in the nose had Klaud not interjected.

"Komui."

He stopped abruptly while scratching the back of his head. "I'm sorry, guess I get too over excited about these things. You're probably exhausted. Well, we'll just need to check your synchronization rate and what not, then I'll show you to your room – er..." He stopped abruptly upon seeing Pal for the first time, sitting behind alice. "Is that a dog?"

"Yeah...?" Came Alice's confused reply.

"Uh, well, that's not to say I don't like them – but I mean, hmmm, well you see"

Klaud, seeing the glare the girl was giving him, once again intervened, knowing full well how out of hand this particular subject could become. "Komui. I know it's not exactly ethical to keep _Pal_ here, but Alice would do much better with him by her side. He's a good dog, and doesn't cause much trouble."

The division leader gave a soft sigh. "If we allow one pet, then the others are going to want to have one as well..."

"Yeah, well their _pets_ weren't there for them when their family died." Alice spat back. "I've told Klaud, and I'll tell you too: If Pal goes, I go!"

"Okay, okay! He can stay!" Komui held his hands out in defeat while mumbling something about her being scary like Kanda...whatever that meant. "Right then, let's take you to Hevleska, now shall we?"

The girl had already forgotten the previous argument, but continued to stay on edge as they walked onto a platform that then began descending toward the lower levels. She didn't know why these intense feelings of nervousness were jumping about inside her stomach, but it was really beginning to grow bothersome as the platform stopped, and bright lights focused on five shadowed figures. Alice gawked up at them in wonder and amazement until a bright, glowing light to the right of her peripheral vision caught her full attention. Her blue eyes widened in fear at the creature before her, and she started to step back as the tentacles reached toward her body.

"W-What? Get awa- AHH!" The limbs grabbed her and lifted her into the air as she continued to struggle. She could feel a warm sensation wash over her body and mind, and instantly her entire being went limp as the creature, _Hevleska,_ put their heads together.

"7 percent, 19 percent, 43 percent, 62 percent... 74 percent seems to be as high as she can synchronize with her innocence." The creature slowly brought her back to the platform and gently set her back on her feet. "Two souls in one; you have been given a destiny with two very different endings...it is up to you to choose which one to follow. To save humanity, or destroy it."

Alice furrowed her brow in confusion at the cryptic message, before slowly backing toward Klaud. "I did not mean to frighten you, child. I can only gauge an accurate reading through touch." Hevleska cooed softly.

The lights beamed to the five figures once more, causing everyone to look up, "The prophecy has been spoken; by joining us, you agree to your duty as an exorcist to protect humanity."

Alice could only nod her head, as Komui stepped beside her and placed his hand tenderly on top her head. "Alice Bennett, we welcome you to the Black Order."

"May God's divine protection be with you." Came Hevleska's blessing, as the platform began its ascent.

Klaud stared at the small girl who looked frozen, and very perturbed, as small frown fell over her lips. _'Two souls?' _A dark feeling in her stomach appeared at the thought. Her life would only get harder from this point on, she already knew. The real question was – would she be able to handle what was to come?

_'I hope so Alice, I really, truly, do.'_

,XxX.

"I can have _whatever_ I want?"

"Oh yeah, darling! Whatever you want, I'll cook it up for you!"

"Apple pie?"

"Yep!"

"A giant cookie sundae?"

"Definitely!"

"A THREE POUND HAMBURGER?"

"...Er, if you think you could eat all that-"

"I CAN!"

"Well then I'll get started-"

"Wait! I'm not done with my order yet!"

"WHAT?"

Klaud watched in amusement as Alice seemed to be in food heaven. From the looks of it, Jeryy was really doubting such a small girl could eat as much as she was ordering, but he wasn't going to be the one to tell her 'no'...which was probably a smart choice. "Alice," Said girl looked up at her mentor with an innocent look. "...But I'm hungry!" She whined.

"I'm sure you'll be fine with what you have. You can always eat later too, remember?"

A sigh. "Fine, fine. I guess that's it, noodle head." She skipped off towards the nearest empty table.

"Did she just..." Came Jeryy's flabbergasted reply, "Don't mind that. It means she likes you." Klaud gave a small smile before ordering her own meal.

_'At least she seems to be back to normal...' _

The general watched the girl at the table, then looked to all the finders that were staring and whispering. A small, overprotective glare reached her eyes, but it quickly vanished when Jeryy ran passed her with a pile of food in his arms.

Taking that as her cue to sit down, she made her way over to the table and took a gentle seat across from the girl and Pal, who had already taken to gobbling down what was in front of them. In only a matter of minutes, they had managed to demolish everything, and were now contently patting their full bellies – well, Alice was, Pal was laying on the floor half asleep.

"Now that you've eaten, you should head back to your room and rest up. I have to talk to Komui about some things, but I'm sure we'll be leaving soon to reunite with the others."

"Yeah, okay," Alice hopped up from the bench and dragged Pal behind her; taking one final look at the General, she turned the corner and walked down an empty hall. "Uh...third story was where the rooms were, right?" She mumbled to herself while tapping her forefinger on her chin.

"WHY DOES EVERYTHING LOOK THE SAME?" She stomped her foot.

"Will you shut up?" Replied a voice from behind, which caused her to whirl around in fright.

"U-Uh, where did you come fro- AND DON'T TELL ME TO SHUT UP!" She puffed out her cheeks in annoyance as she glared at the rude...er...boy (?) in front of her. Who did he think he was?

"Who are you? And _why_ is there a _mutt_ in the Order?" He grimaced in displeasure.

If looks could kill...

"_Pal_ is NOT a mutt – and it is only proper to say your name before asking for another."

"Does that stupid director know you're wandering around with an animal?"

Twitch. _'Is he ignoring me?' "_Yes..."

"And what about you? Does he know _you're_ wandering around here?"

_'Yep, definitely ignoring me.' _

"WHO. ARE. YOU?"

"Kandaaaaa~!" Komui popped out of, quite literally, nowhere, and glomped onto 'Kanda.' "Are you being mean to little Alice? How can you!" He began to animatedly cry.

While Alice could only stare with wide eyes, the boy unsheathed a sword and aimed for Komui, who very quickly jumped out of the way. "Waaaahhh, Yu-kun! Don't hurt me!"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT! AND GROW UP!"

The girl took a few steps back, before bolting up the stairs at lightning speed, Pal quick on her heels. "My...it seems you've scared her off, Kanda." Komui replied calmly while pushing his glasses up.

"ME?"

.XxX.

After quickly finding her room, Alice slammed and locked the door while leaning against it. "Is this place just filled with freaks?" She huffed out in exasperation. Taking a few moments to catch her breath, she glanced around her new room with a small frown. A bed, desk, lamp, and wardrobe were all that decorated the plain room, while a single window at the other end broadcasted the ever falling rain outside.

"Home sweet home..." she mumbled while walking over to look out at the storm as Pal made himself comfortable on her bed.

She put her forehead on the window pane and closed her eyes in exhaustion. The weather outside was the perfect image for how melancholic she was feeling inside; A mask could only cover up emotions for so long. Opening her eyes, she glanced dully at the heavy rain for a few moments before a bright flash of lightning appeared, followed closely by a loud _boom _of thunder. Letting out a surprised gasp, she took a frazzled step back and shut her eyes tightly.

_A loud strike of thunder erupted overhead as the woman flinched and clutched even tighter to the man. Where rain was beautiful, thunder was frightening. It didn't take long for her to hear the rain start to pound down harder, to which she had to lift her head to glance out at the changing storm. _

_Hail. _

"_You see? Had you been out there playing, you might have gotten hurt." _

_She remained silent as she watched the ice pelts fall heavily to the ground with half lidded eyes. Hail may have been dangerous, but it was still beautiful to see how quickly nature could change. Much like humans. _

_He let out a sigh at her silence, "I just want to protect you, little dove."_

"_...As you always have," _

"_And always will." He completed. _

Another memory of Gabriel...

...Another memory that didn't belong to _her_.

The small girl fell onto her bed as tears escaped her eyes. It wasn't fair. Why did all of this have to be happening to her – why couldn't she have been a normal little girl? No, life wasn't fair at all.

Not when two souls shared the same body.


End file.
